--- title: "Agriculture and food | Nexus Observatory" description: "Agrometeorological stations and soil-moisture profiles, frost and disease alerts, low-power coverage across the farm, crop condition from orbit and drone…" url: https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-11-02 --- [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/) / **Agriculture** # Farm decisions on measured ground. Agrometeorological stations and soil-moisture profiles, frost and disease alerts, low-power coverage across the farm, crop condition from orbit and drone, and cooperative networks where neighbours share one grid. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) [Use cases](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/use-cases/) [Open the explainer](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/explainer/) Reference design, drawn to scale · drag to turn **01** ## In the field [Guided 3D tour FarmSoil probes in the fields, a LoRaWAN gateway on a mast, a weather station and a solar microgrid powering the edge.](https://observatory.global/environments/farm/) **02** Stories ## How it works, in place. Interactive stories with figures drawn to scale and every claim referenced. [All stories](https://observatory.global/stories/) [Place: Rural village **A village at the end of the line** Where the fibre ends, a single mast, a satellite terminal and a handful of sensors decide whether a village is on the map of observation. Canada’s target is…](https://observatory.global/stories/rural-village/) [Place: Farmland **Field to forecast** A farm observes water: in the soil, in the crop and in the air above it. Crop water use is computed from weather with a method agronomists have shared for…](https://observatory.global/stories/farmland/) [Place: Airspace and drones **A shared sky below 120 metres** Flying beyond visual line of sight turns a drone from a camera on a stick into infrastructure. It needs a command link that holds, an identity others can…](https://observatory.global/stories/airspace-drones/) **03** Specialized fields ## Agriculture, field by field. Agriculture is many different businesses on the same land. A grain farm reading soil moisture before it waters, an orchard fighting frost at dawn, a dairy barn watching its air and its herd, a greenhouse steering its climate, an irrigation district sharing a river, a plantation forest, a fish farm and a pastoral range each measure different things under different rules. Each field below has its own stack, radio, power and crew work, from the first order to the running operation. [Specialized field Row crops and grainSoil moisture and temperature by zone, field weather for spraying and disease, evapotranspiration for irrigation and satellite crop vigour, on LoRaWAN across the farm and cellular back to the office.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/row-crops/) [Specialized field Orchards and vineyardsFrost watch at dawn, leaf wetness and disease risk, soil water for deficit irrigation and canopy cameras, on LoRaWAN across the blocks with alerts that wake the grower in time.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/orchards-vineyards/) [Specialized field Livestock and dairyBarn air and ammonia, heat stress, water and feed, animal welfare cameras and pasture water points, on a farm network that keeps the herd's record and the emissions record in one place.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/livestock/) [Specialized field Greenhouses and controlled environmentClimate, carbon dioxide, substrate water and nutrient dosing, energy and outside weather for greenhouses and vertical farms, on the site network beside the climate computer, never in its way.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/greenhouses/) [Specialized field Irrigation districts and canalsCanal levels and flows, offtake deliveries, water quality, district weather and crop demand, on LoRaWAN along the canals and microwave to the district office, for fair and accountable sharing of water.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/irrigation-districts/) [Specialized field Forestry and plantationsFire watch from towers, forest weather and fire danger, sound for illegal logging, growth and carbon plots and satellite change, on LoRaWAN, microwave and satellite across the estate.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/forestry/) [Specialized field AquacultureDissolved oxygen, temperature and salinity at the pens, met-ocean conditions, feeding cameras and harmful algae watch for fish and shellfish farms, on cellular and satellite from the water.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/aquaculture/) [Specialized field Rangeland and pastoralismRain, pasture growth, water points and herd movement across open range, with satellite forage maps and drought early warning, on LoRaWAN and satellite where no network reaches.The full field →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/rangeland/) **04** The problem ## What this industry has to measure. Farm weather stations, irrigation, frost protection, livestock and parametric-insurance networks. **01** Soil moisture and evapotranspiration **02** Frost, heat and disease risk **03** Crop condition **04** Water use **05** Coverage across fields **05** Outcomes and proof ## What you get, and how you can check it. Every system we deliver comes with the evidence a buyer, an auditor or a regulator asks for. What you can measure - **Soil moisture and evapotranspiration** - **Frost, heat and disease risk** - **Crop condition** - **Water use** - **Coverage across fields** Proof buyers ask for - Agronomic model validation - Sensor accuracy specification - Battery life - A local-language app - Data-ownership terms - Calibration records - Data completeness - Agreement with reference stations **06** Use cases ## Where it is deployed. Worked use cases and deployment scenarios. Open one for the kit, the data products and the standards. [Use case · low complexity Agromet cooperative networkCompact weather stations and soil probes on farms, feeding irrigation, frost and disease models for a cooperative or an insurer.WhoCooperatives, insurers, extension services.DataReference evapotranspiration and irrigation scheduling; Frost alerts, degree days, spray windows; Disease-model inputsWMO-No. 134 (agrometeorological practices) ISO 11783 (ISOBUS) The full use case →](https://observatory.global/use-cases/agromet-cooperative/) [Use case · medium complexity State or provincial mesonet siteA full weather station on a solar-powered tower with soil sensors, one of a dense network run by a university.WhoUniversities, provinces and states.DataHyperlocal observations for forecasters and emergency managersNational mesonet programme standards WMO-No. 8 The full use case →](https://observatory.global/use-cases/mesonet-site/) [Agriculture Farm or cooperative agromet network with crop modelsCompact stations and soil probes feeding irrigation, disease and frost models.The full use case →](https://observatory.global/use-cases/agromet-cooperative/) [Agriculture Smallholder and parametric-insurance station networksStation density and tamper evidence for index insurance.The full use case →](https://observatory.global/use-cases/agromet-cooperative/) [Every use case](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/use-cases/) **07** Solution bundles ## Start with one unit. Grow to a network. The same systems at every scale, on the open protocol, so nothing you buy is replaced as you grow. 1. **01** Base unit One station or node, specified for this industry: instruments, power, enclosure and backhaul. [Build a station →](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) 2. **02** Site A surveyed, commissioned site with its timing, its links and the evidence file a buyer can audit. [Plan a site →](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) 3. **03** Fleet Many sites run as one service: one plan, one update path, one evidence trail, one service level. [Managed offers →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/solutions/) 4. **04** Network Fleets that federate with partner grids through the open protocol, owner by owner. [The open protocol →](https://observatory.global/protocol/) **08** Solutions ## What we deliver. Each offer is designed, deployed and run on the open protocol by Nexus Observatory Inc. managed service, data licence ### Sensing as a Service Observation networks designed, installed, operated and maintained for a monthly fee: weather, hydromet, air, seismic and environmental stations, with data delivered under a licence. [How we deliver it →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/solutions/#sensing-service) data licence, professional services ### Earth observation tasking, processing and change detection SAR and optical acquisition planning, analysis-ready processing and change detection checked against field truth, delivered as STAC and COG. [How we deliver it →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/solutions/#eo-services) professional services, data licence ### Drone survey and 3D site twins Survey campaigns planned to the ground sample distance, photogrammetry and LiDAR, and site twins kept current. [How we deliver it →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/solutions/#drone-twins) managed service, data licence ### Agricultural field observatories Soil moisture profiles, micro-weather and evapotranspiration with irrigation thresholds per field. [How we deliver it →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/solutions/#agri-field-observatories) **09** Service platforms ## The platforms behind it. The service platforms that build the systems this industry runs on. [Service platform Sensors & instrumentsMeasurements that carry their own proof.](https://observatory.global/sensors/) [Service platform Data & licensingGrid data, licensed for your use.](https://observatory.global/data-products/) [Service platform ConnectivityPrivate 5G, AI-RAN and orbit, on site.](https://observatory.global/connectivity/) [Service platform Earth observation & GeoAIThe ground, measured and modelled.](https://observatory.global/earth-observation/) [Service platform Field servicesSurvey to decommission, one accountable crew.](https://observatory.global/field-services/) [Service platform Digital twins and simulationModel the site before you build it.](https://observatory.global/digital-twins/) [Service platform Space and satellite systemsFrom orbit to the ground, on one protocol.](https://observatory.global/space/) [How each platform serves this industry](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/platforms/) **10** Standards and compliance ## Drawn against the standards your auditors use. Standards the systems are drawn against - WMO-No. 134 (agrometeorological practices) - ISO 11783 (ISOBUS) - National mesonet programme standards - WMO-No. 8 Regulation and authority - **Spectrum and siting** Licences, permits and siting are part of the plan, country by country. [Country notes →](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/countries/) - **Privacy and data** Your data stays yours, under the licence you choose. [Privacy notice →](https://observatory.global/legal/privacy/) - **Security** Hardware-rooted identity and signed updates on every device. [Security →](https://observatory.global/security/) **11** Questions buyers ask ## Before you scope it. Who sells, and who owns the data? Nexus Observatory Inc. is the seller of record. The data your systems collect stays yours, under the licence you choose. Do we have to buy hardware? No. We deliver as a managed service, a data licence or a system you own. Can we start small? Yes. Start with one station or one site, then grow to a fleet and a network on the same open protocol, without replacing what you bought. Which standards do the systems meet? Each system is drawn against the open protocol and the standards it is composed from, listed on this page. What happens after go-live? We run the systems to a written service level, with monitoring, repair and an evidence trail, or train your team to run them. ### Ready when you are. Plan a deployment, configure a station or talk to sales. Every request reaches the team that answers it. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/contact/deployment/) [Station Builder](https://observatory.global/studio/builder/) [Talk to sales](https://observatory.global/contact/sales-enquiry/) **12** Open and community ## Open by default. Built with the people who use it. Open data, open methods and the open protocol, with the people who use them. Open projects this community builds on - WeeWX - 3D-PAWS - farmOS - Open Weather Station community Take part - [Join the community, one account for the whole network](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/community/) - [Use the open methods and templates](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/open/) - [Follow a learning path](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/resources/) - [Read the country notes](https://observatory.global/industries/agriculture/countries/) **13** Earth and environment ## Neighbouring industries. [Industry ClimateThe atmosphere, observed to the standard science needs.](https://observatory.global/industries/climate/) [Industry WaterEvery catchment, gauged.](https://observatory.global/industries/water/) [Industry NatureHabitat, measured without disturbing it.](https://observatory.global/industries/nature/) [Industry OceansFrom the coastline to the open ocean.](https://observatory.global/industries/oceans/) ## Bring us the site. Survey, design, deployment and operation for agriculture. The form names who receives your details. 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